Can a Democrat undo Bush's Damage to the country in 4 yrs?

[LalahLand]

Or has Bush set off a ticking economic time bomb that cannot be stopped regardless of who takes office in 2004? I'm just wondering because if things get worse in this country and a Democrat is elected but can't clean things up fast enough, the Democratic party may face even more backlash.

[bowens43]

with a republican congress

a Dem president will not be able to undo much of the evil done by the bushies.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

1. I'm not so worried about the country

as much as the world. :-(

[punpirate]

2. That is entirely possible...

... since the Bushies have been rushing through executive orders and rule changes willy-nilly, and at as rapid a pace as can be conceived, on as many fronts as possible.

That said, FDR faced similar challenges, and got an economy turned around in a relatively short space of time. The law and politics are infinitely more complicated now than when FDR resided in the Oval Office, but with some attention to fixing the obvious problems first, even if that means the wholesale rescission of those rules and executive orders, there might be no damage accruing to a new Democratic president, assuming there's also a compliant and willing Congress to help.

This has been on my mind for some time. See:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/02/07/25_toil.html

Cheers.

[LalahLand]

6. Great article

I guess we're going to have to really get out there and remove some republicans from congress.

[punpirate]

10. For some obvious reasons...

... the country's been far too focused on Bush and his administrators, and not enough attention's being paid to Congressional races. For example, in my Congressional district, we have a first-term right-wing loony who's done nothing in Congress but co-sponsor the most absurd tax abatement bills imaginable.

Is the local Democratic Party committee out scouring the political landscape for someone who can turn this guy out of office? Nope.

Apart from the very barest fact of being elected, our current rep has no legitimacy, but he's not being challenged.

I suspect that is happening elsewhere. There were a lot of wingers sucked into Congress in the `94 election who are prime candidates for being swept out, but no one's painting bull's-eyes on them.

Cheers.

[Rowdyboy]

3. Absolutely not

8 years minimum just to undo the damage, and thats with a Democratic congress for at least the last 4.

[jayfish]

4. He/She Probably Could.

If they were rufuss enough. How about an executive order to retroactively repeal the Bush tax cuts for persons making $150,000 and above. That would put quite a bit of money back into the treasury in a hurry. Of course I wouldn’t advise it.

Jay

[LalahLand]

7. he/she would have to be a REALLY good speaker

To explain to Americans why its in their overall best interest to repeal the tax cuts. Americans don't seem to pay attention to any news unless there is money involved-- notice Bush's numbers didn't really start to fall until he asked for the 87B.

[Skittles]

5. not without sabotaging their re-election

and that is exactly how repugs get elected

[linazelle]

8. In a word...NO

It will take at least two terms to undo BushCo's damage and the media will be hitting whoever is in office hard to make sure that we don't have that chance.

I hope we can withstand the onslaught.

[Liberal Classic]

9. Does three years of Dubya erase eight years of Bubba?

Somehow I don't think so.

[pansypoo53219]

11. if he has a mandate and the people behind him.

the MWs have to be beaten into submission to report the truth though.

[rasputin1952]

12. It could be done...

but it is always easier to dismantle something as opposed to building something, and whomever is President, s/he would have to build a coalition.

Most of the Executive Orders we've heard of from this admin, would have to be rescinded, easy enough, but there would be a test for the greatest of statesmen to work with Congress on repealling the tax cuts. Problem being, The vast majority of those in Congress, are far more worried about re-election than the good of the country.

[Zech Marquis]

13. 4 years to fix t?

Hell no, you'll need 4 years just to find out :wtf: the BFEE did with all the dead bodies.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

14. look i don't care how far down the wrong road someone goes.....

it is simple logic that you fucking STOP! TURN AROUND and GO BACK THE OTHER WAY!

[Selwynn]

15. Yes, but that's not the important question...

The important question is can any candidate undo the damange that Nixon, Carter, Regan, Bush AND Clinton AND Bush have don't to this country?

Probably not. We're going down. It's just a question of when. The right candidate this election could slow that process I think, not stop it.

[revcarol]

16. the damage done will last for a generation,

but we do need to radially turn around the trend.

But how do we save all those kids who got asthma because of increased air pollution, the undereducated ones who actually needed the money promised, the frozen people in Philly who died because they didn't get the LIHEAP money promised, the seniors who died because Bush won't reduce money to pharma companies,the treasury looted for the war, the wealthy, and defense contractors?

[Cascadian]

17. How about 8 years?

Plus it would help to get a Democratic-controlled Congress.

John

[kang]

18. White House is less of challenge than the House

since so many districts now have been drawn up to be safe for the incumbent. That's why it's important to have somebody who doesn't just beat Bush, but gets a clear mandate (decisive victory) on certain key issues like the tax cuts and foreign policy direction.

I don't think I could stand another 4 years of a GOP White House though...we at least need the power to veto and use the bully pulpit to push policies through Congress. We won't get everything we want, but we're likely to get some of it if we can beat Bush.

[w4rma]

19. No. And the Republican Congress will not help. (n/t)

[kentuck]

20. No....and they should stop making promises to the people...

about healthcare, prescription drugs, etc. All they should tell the people is that they will stop the hemorrhaging. That way, they will be like the Repubs, they can declare victory and success much easier.

[OldSoldier]

21. Yeah, if he's willing to...

The first day he's in office he needs to lock up the whole BFEE then start issuing executive orders. If he rescinds everything from the tax cuts to the Patriot Act, then develops a plan to punish companies who move to offshore tax havens, and finishes with a strong, workable plan for job creation and job retention, maybe four years will be enough.

Oh, and figure out some way to defang Tom DeLay.

[SharonAnn]

22. No, maybe not even in 8

He's created huge, structural financial problems and we'haven't seen the worst of it yet. The worst won't hit until after the 2004 election. It was timed that way intentionally.

The chickens will come home to roost after the 2004 election so people won't understand how bad it really is in time to make an informed decision before the election.